24 Things You Can Do In 10 Minutes or Less To Make Your House More Saleable

by admin

When it’s time to sell, little things make a difference. Thankfully, little fixes take little time. If you’re getting ready to list your home for sale, or if you’re already listed and are wondering why your house isn’t selling, these easy, quick adjustments you can do in 10 minutes or less can help.

1. Dust – everything. Dust bunnies don’t sell homes.

2. Change out your welcome mat. A fresh, new mat provides a warm welcome and can make the home feel updated.

3. Make your bed. Crumpled sheets are a no-no during a home tour or open house.

4. Clean off your counters – this goes for your kitchen and your bathrooms. “Take everything off the kitchen counters that you don’t use every day.

5. De-clutter! The point is to emphasize how much space you have, not how much stuff you have.

6. Get over yourself. You might think your house is perfect just the way it is, but buyers might disagree. Taking the emotion out of the equation can help you to make the necessary fixes. “Detach yourself from your house. The process of staging takes the focus of your home away from you and puts it on the potential new owners of your home,” said Houzz.

7. Wax your floors. A good product can hide a multitude of sins. So can throw rugs. Get some tips from Better Homes and Gardens.

8. Fold everything nicely in your linen closet. Making it look tidy will help buyers feel confident that there is enough storage.

9. Hang everything in your coat closet and set umbrellas, luggage, and other necessities neatly.

10. Do a light bulb check. A simple thing like a burned-out bulb could be a deal killer if a buyer jumps to the conclusion that other things in the house may have been overlooked. And buyers jump to conclusions. All. The. Time.

11. Take the risqué stuff out of your medicine cabinet or bathroom drawer. People will open them. And they will judge you.

12. Turn on the lights. All of them. If people are coming to tour your home, make it easy for them to see it. You don’t want them having to traverse the living room to try and figure out how to turn on the overhead light. If it’s not bright enough, switch your bulbs to the highest wattage allowed.

13. Anchor your rugs. One slip by a visitor and you might be facing a lawsuit.

14. Clean your toilets. People will use them.

15. While you’re at it, put out fresh towels. If a potential buyer has to wipe her hands on a towel with a makeup stain on it, she’s no longer a potential buyer.

16. Pick up the poop. What your dog does in the yard can dump a deal if it ends up on a buyer’s shoe.

17. Put the toys away. A couple of large baskets are all you need to make a play room look tidy. If a few aren’t enough to corral your kids’ bounty, keep your little one’s faves in the room and store the rest at a friend’s house–or in the trunk of your car if you have to.

18. Relocate your clothes and shoes. You can make it easy by choosing off-season items and packing them away in boxes in the garage. “Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of,” said HGTV. “Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.”

19. Get rid of the stink. I know, no one thinks their house is stinky. But if you have animals, or teenagers, or, well, men (sorry guys, but really), you might just. Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to de-stink. First, remove the biggest offenders (cat box, boys’ sneakers). Then, spray soft surfaces with Febreze. Now, spread plug-in fragrance in strategic areas. Finally, use this Lifehacker trick to disseminate a pleasant scent throughout the house.

20. Do a wall check. Are all your pictures straight? Crooked art on the walls seems like a small, insignificant thing. But anything negative that potential buyers can get fixated on is something you want to address. Especially when it will only take you a few minutes to fix.

21. Fluff your pillows. The idea is to create an inviting environment that buyers will walk into and want to spend time in.

22. De-personalize it. Make a sweep and gather up family photos, mementos, and anything else that could draw attention away from the space.

24. Focus on the front. “Try sprucing up your home’s curb appeal,” said Houzz. “Buyers make up their mind in the first 30 seconds as they approach the front door. Clean it up…trim foliage and take out dead plantings and mulch.”

Written by Jaymi Naciri on Wednesday, 12 November 2014 1:25 pmSource: http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/sellersadvice1/item/31563-20141113-24-things-you-can-do-in-10-minutes-to-make-your-house-more-saleable